Samuel l



S. L. LOOMIS.

Car Coupling.

Patented Nov. 12, 1867.

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SAMUEL I... LOOMIS, OF s-YnoN, NEW YORK. Letters Patent No. 0,729, dated November 12, 1867.-

GAR-GOUPLING.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. Looms, of Byron, Genesee county, State of New York,,have invented ce'rtain new and useful improvementsin Railroad-Car Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are suificient to enable any person skilled'in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvements without furtherinventionor experiment.

The nature of my invention and improvements consists in arranging a spring in the bumper to hold the I coupling-pin up and let it drop when the link is pushed in, andalso hold the outer end of the link up to enter the opposite coupling; and in a coupling-pin with a shoulder near the point to rest on a plate or projection in the bumper, and hold the pin up when the link is in the coupling until the link is drawn out. In the accompanying drawings v v I Figure lis a section representing the draw-head or bumper and link out perpendicularly lengthwise through the centre ofthe pin.

Figure '2 is a horizontal section above the line 2 act fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section below the line 2 z of fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a'sectiou of fig. 2 on the line In these drawings, A is the draw-head or bumper, made of cast iron, in the form shown, orin such other form as will answer the purpose and may be provided with a draw-bolt or some other convenient means for fastening it to the car. This bumper has an opening, 3, for the links 0, and a hole through it for the pin D to hold the link in, which pin D has a small point, E, and shoulder, F, as shown in the drawings. The opening B has a recess in its upper side, in which the bent spring G is fastened bythe plate H and screw I, as shown in figs. 2 and 4. The spring is made of steel, and bent in the form shown, and has a long slot cut in it for the coppling-pinD to pass through. it. This main-spring G serves or performs several separate and distinct purposes: first, it h oldsdown the inner end of the link 0, which holds up the outer end of the link in a proper position to enter the opposite bumper in coupling, as shown in fig. 1, thereby saving the brakeman the risk of getting his hand crushed by holding up the link; second, it holds up the coupling-pin when the link is out and uncoupled, as shown in fig.' 4, and'when the link is pushed in to couple, it raises the bight or inner end of the spring, and pushes the end J from under the pin D, as shown in fig. 4, to the position shown in fig, 1, and lets .the pin drop through the link and secure it in the coupling; third, when it is desirable to uncouple, and the train is standing, and leave the pin so that it will drop in when the link is run in to couple again, the pin is drawn up and placed'in the position shown in dotted lines in fig. 4, with the shoulder F resting on the plate H, which holds it up until the cars are separated and the link drawn out, which releases the spring Gr, when the end J acts on the point E of the pin D, and draws the shoulder F es of the plate H, and holds the pin in the positioh shown in fig. 4, readyto drop through the link, when it is run in to couple the cars again. If pre ferred, a lip orprojection may be made'on the bumper, in the pin-hole, to hold up the pin by its shoulder, instead of the plate H. There is a recess, K, in the bumper,-behind the pin, into which recess the end or bight of the spring may be pressed by the link until it (the link) strikes or comes against the projection L next to the pin, which prevents the link from injuring the spring when the link is vibrated. Thereare some recesses, N N, in the sides of the opening B, behind the projections P P, and the springs S S are fastened in the rear ends of these recesses, and project forward, and are bent around in the form shown in the drawing, to hold the. link straight sidewise to enter the opposite bumper for the purpose of coupling. The projections P P stop the link when it is vibrated a proper distance,and prevent it from pressing the springs so as to injure them. It is proper to remark that if the pin is forced down by something falling on it when it is standing on the spring, the spring slips out from beneath it, so that no part of the coupling or springs is either injured or deranged. I l

Couplings with my improvements do not require the brukemen to pass between the ends of the cars to either couple or uncouple, nor to put their hands between the bumpers for any purpose whatever, thus avoid in'g all risk to life and limb to thebrakemen; while the expense of providing couplings with my improvements is estimated at fifty cents for each coupling.

Having described my improvements, 1 claim In a. draw-heed or bumper of a. railroad car, a. spring so constructed and arranged as to serve the purpose; of sustaining the pin until the link enters, and holdingthe link horizontal for the purpose of coupling, Buhs entiolly as described.

And in combination with a spring constructed and arranged as above claimed, I claim a coupling-pin with a. shouldered end or point, as and for the purposes set forth.

And in combination with a, pin having a shoulder near the point, I claim a, projection 01' plate, H, in the bumper or draw-head.

SAMUEL L. LOOMIS.

Witnesses:

J. DENNIS, Jr., '1. G. O0NN0LLY. 

